TZAIMS LUKSUS INCORPORATED: ?WHAT WENT WRONG IN BENNINGTON, VERMONT

 TZAIMS LUKSUS 

INCORPORATED

What Went Wrong 

●WWW●

in

Bennington, Vermont

USA

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Everything went wrong by the 

Wealthy Investors 

& 

Nothing went wrong by Tzaims

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Originally when I arrived in Bennington, Vermont Labor Day weekend in 1963, and found the Bradfor Mill empty and available through the Attorney Franklin Peens Jones, I was connected to Philadelphia's major fashion and art patrons.  I arranged to lease pruchase the Bradford Mill for $60,000.00 with a lease purchase of $1,000.00 per month with a fixed purchase price for one year.

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i had a Philadelphia corporate attorney that had the Polish Embassadoe as a client, a top accountant, the president of Nan Duskin Fashion Emporium as fund raiser promising an invesrment of $100,000.00 from very wealthy art patrons: Bonny Winterstien and Heny Mc Ilhenny, an John F. Kennedy fresh in the White House, promising a new age for artist/designer corporate opportunuty.

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I also had 

Lawrence Vanderbilt Morris, 

son of 

Alice Vanderbilt 

and

 grandson of 

Corneleus Vanderbilt 

as well as 

Willian (Bill) Hollenbeck, 

owner of 

Pennsylvania's Anthrocite Coal mines, already investing. 

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Several wealthy personal friends, 

Ann Stokes, of the Moorestown, New Jersey Stokes

builder of

 TheChildren's Hospital 

in Philadelphia, 

Philip Collins, Princeton architect who designed Williams College Lubrary, 

& 

his sister 

Lucinda Collins, 

Claire Van Vliet,  canadian print master

Ann Furness, 

Grand daughter 

of Philadelphia Architect 

Frank Furness, 

Bernard Bless, of Philadelphia's Bless Publishing Company,

investing up to $15,000.00 for initial leases, mill.

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Additionally when inspecting the Bradford Mill, my Mercedes parked in front, Howard Feist, of Massachusetts visited and offered me a second wool weaving mill fully staffed and fully equipped as a vertical woolen mill for exavtly the same lease/purchase agreement for 

The Bennington Weavers Mill.?

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The brick building is the dye house, the small center building the offices, the large wing to the right was the huge Weaving shed ground floor and Dressing, Carding, and Mule Spinning on second floor.

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I leased it and on 1 October 1963 mived into Hill House, renaming it 

Buckthorne Hall

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Tzaims had $40,000.00 accounts receivable from silk prints for Burke Amey, 

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Everything was set up in perfect order waiting for an additional $100,000.00 investment from Philadelphia.

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Disaster

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Two untimely events happened.

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On 22 November 1954

John Fitzpatrick Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

●N. Snidman, President of Nan Duskin died suddenly of cardiac arrest a few days after the death of JFK.

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This financial fund raising plan ended and the Tzaims Luksus Corporate plan in Philadelphia.  The new president, former head buyer, Sarah Mansfield wouldn't support Tzaims in Vermont, insisting he find a mill back in Philadelphis.

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On the evening of the news of the end of funding Tzaims and Miriam had invited Dzvid and Gloria Gil, owners of Bennington Potters for dinner.

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David was thrilled Tzaims had come to Bennington claiming his textile mill would boost the economy of both Bennington and the State of Vermont.

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Unfortunated Tzaims had to tell David Gil that his plan failed financially explajning how these two deaths effected his staying in Vermont and telling Davod he was leaving Bennington at the end of November.

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David Gil was shocked but quickly said:

 "Wait at least another month.  I know people here that might be interested in backing you."

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That same week Gil brought John G. McCullough, Wit Dickey, president of National Bank of North Bennington, Hamilton Shields, Ferdinand Meyer of Meyers" Rum in Jamaica and himself making 5 investors, that again asked Tzaims to wait another two weeks giving them time to consider investing.

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These delays were costing Fzaims $2,000,00 for rent plus payroll each week costing several thousands of dollars wirh everything halted.  He keplt the mill workers weaving wool rugs from left over fiber stock.

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Finally after running ouf of cash on hand the 5 met at Franklin P, Jone office to discuss terms.

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Not such good ones for Tzaims but perfect for the 5 investors.

They wouldn't include the initial investors claiming Tzaim had to share his non'par stock with them.  They ended up hating the Bennington investors.  Tzaims couldn't share non-par stock since he didn't have any nor dis he actually have any percentage of his company.  The Bennington investors owned 100% for $5,000.00.

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Since John G. McCullough owned the Bank in North Bennington, it would guarantee weekly payroll and supplies as needed.

They each would invest $1,000.00 to set up a corporation costing $5,000.00.  No budget would be offered.

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Tzaims was offered a weekly salaey as summed up from his monthlt bills, rent for Buckthorne Hall @ $200.00 A month, Car monthly payment of $150.00 dor Mercedes, plus utilities clearing $150.00 a week and Miriam offered $110.00 A week, who would cover food, entertainment and miscelneous needs.  Tzaums would get so much for gasoline to drive round fptrip to NYC to sell fabrics with a small amount for dining and staying in 3 star hotels over night.

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Tzaims would get 49% of non par value stock if and when the company brok even They would hold 100 % of par value stock plus 100% non pr value stock for some future success.  The 5 would sign IOUs for the bank.  Tzaims wouldn't sign but this was left as a gentleman's agreement with out it being signed by them.  They took over the woolen mill lease but wouldn't keep the Bradfor Mill for silk printing.  There sasn't any print space in the woolen mill at that time. Tzaims would turn over his $40,000 accounts receivable to them.

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They then left and would be in touch in another two weeks for Tzaims to agree.

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They left and Tzaims and Franklin stared at one another blankly in shock.

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No way was this going to work with ouf a budget.

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Finally Franklin said.  Icf you agree to this then you will have to jump in all four feet and hope it works.  

Tzaims had to make it work and knew he could.  It all depended on the 5 investors realizing what was involved in this high fashion ebterprise, but of course they knew nothing and in fact felt embarrassed investing since doing so effected their peacticak credibulity to the Bennington community, which of course was a fake stance they claimed they represented.

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For Tzaims, he was happy keeping the mill employees paid but no one would get any raise from minimum wage, and Tzaims felt they nned one.  He then agreed, signed and met with the workers to tell them he was proposing a profit sharing with them and therefore boosting their moral support to do their best under the circumstances.  Ham Shields attended and didn't like This propksal Fzaims made to the employees but remained silent.

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David Gil and his Pottery was going bankrupt and couldn't afford to pitch in his $1,000.00 investment, so McCullough paid it for him.

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Wit Dickey was treasurer and Gil was co-#igner on all checks together with Tzaims so without Gil signing no checks were vakid.

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David Gil knew nothing of fabric manufacturing or anything of high fashion but took an upper hand often stalling, delaying payment for need supplies.  This often delayed delivery causing cancellations.  He became a stupid arrogant dictator.

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Wit Dickey wiyh drew claiming being Treasures conflucted with him being president of the band so the directors made David Gil treasurer.

, making the situation worse.

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Ferdinand Meyer removed himself when he felt his position made him appear as a Nazi sympathiciser from rumours Gil was Jewish and believed he couldn't have a Jew as treasurer.

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John McCullought brought innhis unfashionable wife, Jane Fiske making her hononary Chair person.  Sbe in high fashion was though a cow, like a bull in a China Shop

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Tzaims kept things going smoothly working all hohrs into the night.

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A print collection had to be made so Tzaims located a space in a weaving room not being used and had a few non working looms removed but kepr for spare partd.  He had a 15 foot, 5 yard sample table made to print 60 inch wide silk and created his first own printed silks also making the printing screens by hand.

The firsft silks printed were Sarmi's tropical jungle prints 

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and the the 

Geoffry Beene 

Art Nouveau panel silks

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The prints went viral bringing 2 thousand yard of fabric sales but the board refused to build production tables to produce it.  They said if the sales were for 4, thousand yards they would consider it.

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2, thousand yards were for samples and everyone on zseventh avenue made theirbfinal committment so Tzaims orderd his factory workers to clear the entire unused weaving shedof old looms, build a 20 foot section connecting a store shed and creating 2 60 yard printing production tables costing only $10,000.00 complete.

Hamilton Shields came one day seeing the construction.  He said:

"I wee you went over the board of directors abd buit th production room."  That was it, but secretely approved.

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When finished, dust free all painted pristine whate the board took credit claiming it was the finest prkduction printing plant in Vermont.

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C'est mignifiqur et  c'est parfait!

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One day David Gil visited a few months later telling Tzaims that the board wanted hin to sign bank notes, claiming he wasn't obligated to pay but as a gesture of good will.  Unless he agreed to sign the payroll for employees would bot be forthcoming.  That wass thevfirst gentleman's agreement they broke with Tzaims.

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One problen, the tables had to be leveled and smooth for printing but the board wouldn't add $1,200.00 to level them so the printing ink pooled and ruined 2,000 yards of printed silk, that Ben Shaw returned to be replaced in two weeks, so the boatprd released the money and the tables were leveled and produced perfectly printed silks.

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Tzaims knew what signing meant and how they could use and abuse him  with it but he signed to keep the employees paid and the mill operating.

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By 1965 Tzaims had conquered and won both 

The Coty Award

&

The Neiman Marcus Award

in

High Fashion 

World Wide!

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This wa bigger than Bennington.

This was bigger than Vermont.

This was bigger than

New Yotk City.

The United States of America!

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This was now 

Paris, London, Rome, Tokyo, Madrid, Zurich, Como, Italy. Lyon, France

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Japan 

was the first to be inspired ny Tzaims Luksus.

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 So now what was the wealthy directots in Bennington going to do since this was now bigger than them!

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First they insured Tzaims for $100,000.00 making him more valuable to them dead than alive making themselves beneficiaries in case he was killed or died.

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Then they forced him to sign nots up to $250°000.00

yet giving him only $150,00 a week and claiming any private designing he was paid went to them.

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They they began bringing political and outside businessmen advising 

them about taking control of the company from him.

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Nejman Marcus wanted him to design Clothes from his own fabrics for them

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The board often met without Tzaims, ascacting president, making decisions illegally acoording to Vermont corporate law.

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They wanted no part in creating a high fashion clothing company claiming they would loan him $10,000.00 and no more to create a clothing collection but he was

 to find his own backers for it.

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How else would the board screw up and mess up tha production ruining both now the fabric mill and the sensationalky successful haute couture collection!

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Well they found a way.

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